The present invention relates to an adhesive tape cutter and particularly to an improved adhesive tape cutter that has a protective mechanism extended over a cutting mechanism outside the tape cutter to avoid hurting users.
These days adhesive tape cutters are generally being used to seal cartons at plants. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional adhesive tape cutter which includes a control mechanism 1xe2x80x2, an operation mechanism 2 attached to the control mechanism 1xe2x80x2 and a dispensing mechanism 3 connected to the control mechanism 1xe2x80x2 and located above the operation mechanism 2. The control mechanism 1xe2x80x2 has a wiper 5, a cutting blade 62 at the front end and a cutting blade protective cap 7 located above the cutting blade 62. The cutting blade protective cap 7 can cover the cutting blade 62 when not in use to avoid hurting users. When in use, open the protective cap 7 and apply a force on the operation mechanism 2 to roll the roller 14, the adhesive tape mounted on the dispensing mechanism 3 may be pulled out to stick to the location desired. The wiper 5 may brush the bonding tape to smooth the tape without generating air bubbles or wrinkles. When the sealing is completed, users may press the cutting blade 62 to sever the tape. Such a design requires users to open the protective cap 7 every time the tape cutter is used. However users often just dispose the tape cutter offhandedly when tape cutting task is finished and forget to close the protective cap 7. The next user could be incidentally hurt by the exposed cutting blade 62. It is inconvenient.
To remedy the problem set forth above, some improvements on the tape cutter have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,377 discloses a tape applicator with a retractable blade. It has a lever mechanism to extend the blade to sever the tape when an user has finished sealing and presses the tape. The lever mechanism mainly includes the blade and a wiper located in the tape applicator. When not in use, the lever mechanism is pulled by a spring located in the tape cutter to retract the blade inside the tape applicator.
U.S. patent publication No. 2002/0195204 A1 discloses another tape applicator to avoid hurting users. An elastic protective piece is provided above the blade. The elastic protective piece is a flexible element of a small thickness. When not in use, the front edge of the elastic protective piece may be bent downwards to cover the blade. When the sealing task is completed, user may depress the tape and the front edge of the elastic protective piece is tilted and deformed slightly to expose the blade to sever the tape.
In the two aforesaid examples users have to exert a force on the wiper or the elastic protective piece, a great deformation might occur and result in fractures. The damaged tape applicator becomes useless and users have to buy a new set. It is not convenient or economical.
Therefore the primary object of the invention is to resolve the aforesaid disadvantages. The adhesive tape cutter of the invention includes a protective mechanism, a wiper and a cutting mechanism that can protect users from injury when the tape cutter is not in use.
In order to achieve the foregoing object, the adhesive tape cutter of the invention includes a control mechanism, an operation mechanism located on the control mechanism and a dispensing mechanism connecting to the control mechanism and located above the operation mechanism. The control mechanism has a protective mechanism, a wiper and a cutting mechanism. When the tape cutter is not in use, the protective mechanism is extended over the cutting blade outside the tape cutter to avoid hurting users.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.